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PETER H. NILES, OF BSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. Letters Pate'ntNo. 72,751,dated December 31, 1867.

' IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-GUIDES.

tilge .tlgetuls nicht tu in tttatttttrs prima mit making artt mi tigttime.

Be it known that I, BETER H. NILES, of Boston, in the county of Suiiolk,and State' of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Sewing-Guide; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full andexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. l 4

To enable others skilled in the art to malte and use my invention,Irwill proceed to describe its construction and operation. .Upon theaccompanying drawings- Figure I is a perspective view of the guide.

Figure 2 is a side view.

Figure 3 is a view of the guide placed in proper position upon thefinger.

I construct a clasp, of any suitable elastic material, composed of thetop a and the bands b, formed to fit the finger above the first joint,and secure'jthe clasp upon it. These bands lap over each other, to allowthe guide to adjust itself and yield to the inger without nipping theflesh between its ends. The top is enlarged, and a rib, c, is raisedupon it, at right angles with the bands. I do not; however, confinemyself to a right angle, as for some sewing another angle will do aswell. The guide not being a perfect circle, but of an oval form, theneedle finds a bearing upon it that guides'it up to the rib, (which isthe shape of an inverted-V rounded at the base,) and is there turned upby it, through the material, with precision, at each`stitch.

To use this instrument, place the guide upon the fore-finger, above theiirst joint, the top a over its outer side. This brings the rib c in itsproper position. Draw the material tightly-over the clasp. vEnter theneedle into the material in front of the rib at the distance required tocommence the stitch, and press it forward. The rib guides it through thematerial, defining and limiting the forward distance, and insuringregularity in sewing.

In the usual mode of hand-sewing, it is extremely diiiicult to regulatethe stitch without much loss of time,

especially with those learning to sew. The'tovements of the hand and armare acquired'only after long prac-` tice and great care. These movementsare identical with those given to the needle by the formation of therib, and which the hand and arm naturally follow in` pressing the needleforward. By the use of this guide, the line of stitching is regulatedwith precision by the means described above.

The advantages in the use of this guide are, first, the facility withwhich one can learn to slew correctly; second, the superior quality ofthe sewing; and, third, the greatly increased rapidity with which sewingis done, resulting from the slight care and attention required. i

I do not claim a sewing-shield, which only protects the finger frominjury; but What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isA sewing-guide, composed of a ring or clasp, provided with a rib, e,substantially as herein described, and for the purpose specified. .Y

l P. H. NILES. Witnesses: p l

FRANK H. MARsToN, Geo. Erunninen.

